


Freedom in These Bonds

by 27dragons



Series: 27dragons' Tony Stark Bingo [11]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Alpha Bucky Barnes, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Anal Sex, Arranged Marriage, Domestic Violence, Fainting, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Howard Stark's A+ Parenting, James "Rhodey" Rhodes is a Good Bro, Jealousy, Knotting, M/M, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Omega Tony Stark, Sex, Steve Rogers Is a Good Bro, Virgin Tony Stark, background/minor Clint Barton/Steve Rogers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-07
Updated: 2019-04-27
Packaged: 2020-01-06 12:35:19
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 18,314
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18388571
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/27dragons/pseuds/27dragons
Summary: Tony’s been accepted to M.I.T., which only admits a small percentage of omegas each year. He can’t wait to get there, to stretch his intellect and broaden his horizons. There’s only one small wrinkle: omega students have to be married.(Tony Stark Bingo fill for squares A3 - FREE, T5 - Waking Up Married, K3 - Winter Soldier/Bucky Barnes, and S1, Jealousy.)





	1. Chapter 1

Sunlight streamed through the gauzy curtains, too bright for Tony to sleep through and too warm for him to want to do anything but lay in it and bask like a cat. It was a bright spring morning.

Tony rolled his head to look at the clock, and groaned. No time to lounge in bed; breakfast was in ten minutes, and if Tony wasn’t present -- and presentable -- then his father was going to be unhappy with him.

He stumbled out of bed and into the bathroom. No time to shower, so he splashed his face a few times and sprayed on a little extra deodorant -- ug, his mother must have overridden his scent preferences with the shopper, because it was her preferred florals again instead of his understated herbals. He probably didn’t do as good a job brushing his teeth as he should, but he didn’t think his father would stoop to actually checking.

He threw on a pair of jeans and the first shirt his fingers brushed as he reached into the closet. It was cut a little low for breakfast, sheer enough to be daring but not quite shocking. It was the kind of shirt he might have chosen to wear on a date.

You know, if he’d been allowed to date, like any normal omega.

Well, it met Howard’s stated rule of basic decency, and that was the important thing, because he had only about forty-five seconds left to sprint downstairs and plant his behind in his chair before he was late.

Maria gave him a raised eyebrow as he slid into his seat, but he knew she wouldn’t call attention to his near-tardiness.

Howard pointedly checked his watch, but grunted acceptance.

Tony let Maria fill his plate for him; she actually paid attention to the dietician she’d hired to make sure he was eating the right amounts of the right things. He’d more or less gotten used to always being just a little bit hungry.

If he’d been an alpha, he probably would have been able to do whatever he wanted. Stroll in late, skip meals altogether, wear whatever he wanted. Eat whatever he wanted, however much much he wanted. Argue, and have people actually listen to his words instead of scold him for his attitude. Work on projects that would get his clothes and skin dirty, leave calluses and scars on his hands, let him stretch his imagination. Leave the house without a chaperone.

Leave, _full stop_.

He was so absorbed in cataloguing all the ways his life would be immeasurably better if he’d been an alpha that he almost didn’t notice Jarvis standing at his elbow.

“Forgive the interruption, young sir, but there was mail for you in this morning’s post.”

Mail? As in, actual, _physical_ mail? For _him?_ Jarvis would never have interrupted breakfast for bulk mail like a catalog or a magazine. Tony became aware that he’d frozen, that Jarvis was still standing there, proffering a thick, creamy white envelope. And that his parents were watching him, curious and suspicious, each according to their wont.

“Uh.” Tony took it. It was heavier than it looked. “Thank you, Jarvis.”

“Of course, young sir.”

Tony looked down at the envelope and felt all the blood drain from his face. That was... That was definitely the M.I.T. crest in the corner.

And Tony’s name in the center.

 _It’s probably a rejection_ , he told himself. Sure, it was a thick, heavy envelope, but they’d probably just included a brochure and application to one of their affiliated sister schools. Somewhere that a lowly omega might feel more at home.

But M.I.T. _did_ admit omegas. Not many of them, but a few, maybe seven to ten percent of the student body. Fewer than half of them ever graduated.

Hands shaking, Tony picked up his table knife and clumsily cut open the envelope.

He pulled out the folded packet and carefully opened it.

He read it.

He read it again.

And one more time, committing every word to memory.

“Well?” Howard demanded. “What’s it say?”

Tony drew a breath. “I’m in.” He looked up. “I’m going to M.I.T.”

“Oh, darling, that’s wonderful,” his mother gushed. “We’re so proud, aren’t we, Howard?”

Howard put his fork down, wiped his mouth with his napkin and threw that onto the table beside his plate. “Well.” He looked at Maria. “You’ll handle it?”

“Of course,” she said placidly. “I’ve known this day was coming for a long time. I’ve had plenty of time to prepare.”

“Prepare for what?” Tony asked.

Howard pushed away from the table, already scowling at some message on his phone as he stalked from the room.

“You’ll handle _what?_ ” Tony said.

Maria reached across the corner of the table to pat Tony’s hand as if he were a child. “Finding you an alpha, of course,” she said. “You know omegas can’t attend classes unless they’re bonded.”

Tony _had_ known that.

Of course he had known that. He’d considered all the options carefully, weighing the pros and cons of every facet, before submitting his application.

He’d known that M.I.T.’s precious few omega openings were only available to already-bonded omegas. On the website, it was couched in rhetoric about only wanting the most dedicated students who were “committed to excellence” and “providing an environment conducive to serious progress” but the requirement was there, all the same.

Vaguely, Tony understood the real reason why: unbonded omegas going into heat on an alpha-dominated campus would wreak utter havoc.

Tony had applied anyway; bonding was a problem for Future Tony, even assuming he got in.

And now the future had arrived.

He swallowed hard and pushed his plate away, barely touched. He wasn’t hungry anymore. “He’s letting you set it up?”

“It’s traditional,” Maria said breezily. “He’ll have final approval, of course, and we’ve talked some already about the sort of alpha--”

“It’s just that I thought,” Tony interrupted, “I thought he’d want to sell me off to one of his cronies.” That was Tony’s primary value to his father. He’d grown up knowing that, knowing that he was going to be bonded to an alpha his father chose, probably as part of a business arrangement.

Maria’s lips thinned a little at Tony’s wording. “Such dramatics,” she chided. “No one’s _selling you off_ , darling. We just want to make sure you’re bonded to someone who can take care of you properly.”

Tony huffed and rolled his eyes. “None of those stuffed shirts are going to want an omega who’s in school,” he pointed out. “They want air-headed arm-candy.” And a warm hole to stick their knots in, though Tony knew better than to voice that to his mother. “Honestly, I can’t imagine many of them are willing to pack up and move to Cambridge while I get my degree. Go on, tell me who’s on the short list so I can brace for it.”

Maria took a delicate bite of melon and didn’t meet Tony’s eyes as she chewed.

“Mom?” Tony pressed.

She set her fork down and put her hands in her lap. She’d never be so ill-bred as to fidget with her napkin under the table, but it almost looked like she wanted to. “This is a volatile time in the defense market,” she said carefully, in the way that meant she was saying what Howard had told her to say. “There aren’t any obvious candidates at the forefront of the industry that we think would suit you, not at the moment.”

Translation: _None_ of the candidates on Howard’s shortlist had been willing to pack up and move to Cambridge for several years. Tony wasn’t sure why that stung, but it did. Boston was _right there_ , and a perfectly reasonable place to do business.

“So we thought,” Maria continued, “that a temporary arrangement might be best.”

Tony blinked. He ran the words through his head again. They still didn’t quite make sense. “Temporary?”

“Well, _officially_ it will be real,” Maria said quickly. “The school wouldn’t accept it otherwise. But unofficially... Well, we’ll be signing a generous prenuptial agreement.”

“You’re going to marry me off to some random alpha and then pay them to divorce me after I’ve graduated,” Tony translated.

“Hardly _random_.” Maria sniffed delicately. “The prospects have all been carefully vetted against your father’s and my specifications.”

“But not mine.” Tony felt numb. He wasn’t sure why this should be any worse than being pawned off to one of his father’s business contacts as part of a bargaining ploy, but for some reason, it _was_. He’d grown up under the expectation of marrying to further the business. This didn’t really fit that bill. “Did you take out an ad with the _Times_?” Tony wondered. “ _For rent: one omega in pristine condition. Occasional delusions of personhood. No subletting, no early termination._ ”

“That’s enough,” Maria said sharply. “Your father could just as easily have told you to limit your applications to omega colleges, or not permitted you to go to college at all. He is _indulging_ you by allowing it, and you knew the conditions when you applied.” Her expression softened a little. “I know it’s not ideal, darling, but life seldom is. If you’re not willing to do this, then you have only to send the school your regrets.”

No. _No._ M.I.T. had been Tony’s dream for _years_. He wasn’t about to give it up now. Not when he was so close. “All right,” he said. “I’ll behave.”

“I’ll believe that when I see it.”

***

Tony still hadn’t met his intended alpha. All the paperwork had been signed -- the NDA, the prenup, certifications of health on both sides. The marriage certificate only waited on the officiant’s signature.

Tony wondered what his fiancé knew about him. Tony knew almost nothing about his fiancé. Not a photo, no bland bio with a description of profession and/or hobbies, not an age, not even a name. He only knew it was a man because Maria was using masculine pronouns.

To be honest, Tony had started thinking of the man as furniture, like a washing machine, or a table. Something that would take up space in the apartment and only acknowledged when in use, when Tony’s heats rolled around.

It was just one more thing for Tony to check off on his “preparing for college” checklist. Fill out class pre-registration form: check. Pay tuition and fees: check. Acquire an apartment: check. Pack clothes and other essentials: in progress. Arrange transportation: check. See doctor for updated immunizations and birth control implant: check. Get married: in progress.

Tony did wonder, a bit, what the alpha would be like. Would he be at all attractive? Was he young or old? Modern or traditional? (He had to be at least a _little_ traditional, to agree to this arranged marriage bullshit.) Tony was certain the agreement stipulated that he couldn’t interfere with Tony’s studies -- that was the whole _point_ , after all -- but would he think it was a waste of resources to educate an omega? Would he feel threatened by an omega who was demonstrably smarter than him, or was Tony going to have to play dumb for him?

Tony couldn’t help but wonder, at least a little. But it was static, just background noise that occasionally intruded on his thoughts.

The day before the ceremony (which he only knew because Maria had helpfully put an appointment on his calendar), he came downstairs for dinner and found a stranger standing in the front hall with his mother.

The stranger was an alpha, probably in his late twenties or early thirties, if Tony had to guess. He was wearing an army uniform -- dress blues, even though it was a sweltering August day -- and standing at not-quite-attention as he listened to whatever Maria was prattling about. His hair was quite a bit longer than army regs allowed for, caught up at the base of his neck in a tail, and his profile displayed full lips and the sharp line of a patrician nose.

He turned to look as Tony came into the hall and his eyes widened in... surprise?

“Ah, Anthony.” Maria came and tucked her arm through Tony’s, pulling him farther into the hall. “Sergeant Barnes, this is my son, Anthony. Anthony, this is James Barnes...”

Tony was already lifting his hand when she finished, “...your fiancé.”

It was a good thing Tony wasn’t still walking, or he’d have stumbled. As it was, he felt all the blood drain from his face.

He wondered if she’d ambushed him with this deliberately. Well, of course she had. The only question was whether she’d done it for her own amusement or on Howard’s orders.

He had no hope that -- Barnes, was it? -- hadn’t seen his reaction, but he wouldn’t be a Stark if he let that stop him. He finished offering his hand and pasted on a sharp smile. “Mr. Barnes.” He rather pointedly did not say it was a pleasure to meet the man.

To give him credit, Barnes gave Tony a firm handshake, neither too strong nor too weak. “Mr. Stark,” he returned. “I’d hoped to meet you sooner.” His left sleeve was pinned up, Tony realized.

“Well, it’s been a busy summer,” he responded lightly, not letting his eyes linger on that empty sleeve.

“Anthony, darling, why don’t you take Mr. Barnes into the parlor,” Maria suggested. “I’m sure he would like something to drink before dinner.”

“Yeah, he probably would,” Tony said. Maria gave him a quelling look and Tony returned a bland smile. “Right this way, Mr. Barnes.”

“It’s not-- You don’t have to call me Mr. Barnes,” he said, following Tony down the hall. “We’re going to be _married_.”

“Not until tomorrow,” Tony said, opening the door and waving Barnes in ahead of himself. “If I were to be honest, I didn’t think I’d meet you until we said our vows. It’s not often that a lamb sees the wolf before it gets separated from the flock.”

Barnes frowned and opened his mouth and Tony overrode him before he could say anything. “What’ll you have?” He stepped up to the wet bar and turned over a heavy crystal glass. “Scotch? Bourbon?” He poured a finger of scotch into the glass and knocked it back.

Barnes twitched, his eyes following the motion of Tony’s arm. “I... feel like maybe I should be at the top of my game for dinner,” he admitted.

“You won’t want to face my father without a drink in your hand,” Tony advised. “He doesn’t trust people who don’t drink.”

Barnes raised his eyebrows, but huffed out a breath. “Scotch, then. Just a splash. Lots of ice.”

Tony turned up another glass and opened the mini-fridge for the ice. “Not what you were expecting, am I? Regretting that contract yet?”

“Not yet,” Barnes said. He took the glass and lifted it, the ice rattling as he wet his lips without actually drinking. “I don’t mind telling you, the whole... arranged marriage thing is more’n a little odd.”

“Says the one taking advantage of it,” Tony responded. He poured himself another finger of scotch. “If you think it’s so strange, why’re you here?”

Barnes at least had the grace to look discomfited. “Didn’t expect to be,” he said. “Friend of a friend sort of thing. Look, I’ll admit... room and board for four years, and the payoff at the end... It’s a good deal for a disabled vet who’s... _having trouble reintegrating_.” He said it like he was quoting someone, his mouth twisting wryly. “It’ll give me some time to sort myself out. So I admit, I’m taking advantage of the situation, sure. But I don’t want to take advantage of _you_. I’ll pull my own weight, help out around the place, run errands, whatever you need. Or... you want me to just make myself scarce, I can do that, too.”

Tony froze, staring. A giant flashing sign appeared behind his eyes, screaming _DOES NOT COMPUTE_. “...Why.”

Barnes shuffled his feet a little. “You want the whole truth?”

“Hit me.” Tony folded his arms.

Barnes looked down into his drink. “My best friend’s an omega. Little guy. Might come up to your nose. ‘Bout as big around as my wrist. But he’s the best goddamn artist I’ve ever seen. And he’s smart, too, sharp like nobody’s business. But he couldn’t get a proper job without goin’ to school, and those schools just for omegas, everyone knows they’re just vanity degrees -- and they cost twice as much, too. So to get a decent shot at doing what he wants to do, he had to go to a mixed school. Which meant he had to get married. It turned out okay, but things were...” He grimaced and rattled the ice in his glass, wobbling his hand back and forth. “They were pretty dicey for a bit, right at the start. And I thought, this is bullshit. Why should he have to go through this? And that was despite the fact that he got to _choose_ his alpha.

“When I heard about you, parents going the ultra-conservative route and all, I just... I thought maybe I could spare someone some of that headache.” He glanced at Tony guardedly. “And if I got some benefit out of it at the same time, well... it’d be at the expense of the kind of people who maybe deserved it, doin’ that to their kid.”

Tony stared, somewhat overwhelmed by the flood of words. He didn’t know what to think, or what to believe. It could be a front, of course, Barnes’ true colors waiting until after the wedding to show.

But it wasn’t Howard, and that was something, anyway.

Tony considered the decanter for a moment, then decided against another. There would be wine with dinner, no doubt, and he probably shouldn’t be hungover at his own wedding, even if it was just a sham. “You know why they chose you?”

“Honestly, I ain’t got one idea,” Barnes confessed.

Tony rather liked the way the accent bled through his careful diction from time to time. He wondered if it would become more prominent if Barnes didn’t think he had to prove himself to Tony. “It’s a warning.”

“I’m sorry?”

Tony lifted one shoulder, let it fall again. “I’m destined to be a bargaining chip in a business deal,” he explained. “They’re expecting me to be offended that they didn’t choose someone for me with a little more... social clout.” He let his lips twist in a sardonic smile. “You’re not even an _officer_.”

Barnes’ eyebrows rose, and then he huffed out a breath. “Missin’ parts, too.” He shrugged his left shoulder, which made the empty sleeve flap around a little.” He considered Tony closely. “So, what, then? Four years of me an’ you’ll be begging for the chance to marry some shriveled up old mogul or a chest-beating ape of an alpha, as long as they’ve got cash and status?”

“I expect that’s what they’re going for,” Tony agreed, watching Barnes from under his lashes. “They’re not very good at subtlety.”

“This just keeps gettin’ better an’ better,” Barnes sighed. “And?”

“And?” Tony echoed.

“ _Are_ you offended? I mean, leavin’ out that the entire situation is offensive.”

Tony looked at Barnes directly again, let him see Tony giving him the once-over, cataloging the nearly-invisible scuffs on the well-polished shoes, the slightly worn sheen to the texture of his slacks, the way the shirt didn’t fit quite perfectly. The wide, mobile mouth, the strong jaw, the delicate arch of his eyebrows over those storm-gray eyes. “Not nearly as much as they’re counting on,” he said, finally. “But if you’ll take my advice--”

“Gladly.”

“Let them think you’re a... what did you call it? A chest-beating ape of an alpha? One of those. Try to slip in something about education being all good and well, as long as omegas mind their place. That sort of crap.” It was a gamble, assuming Barnes _didn’t_ think that way, but Tony wanted to know what sort of man he was going to be bound to.

Barnes’ mouth twisted in distaste, and Tony’s stomach unknotted a little. “What does that buy us?” Barnes wondered.

“A little distance, probably, at least, once we’re out of New York.” They wouldn’t want to interfere, not with a freshly-bonded alpha who was still establishing his dominance.

Barnes nodded slowly. “All right. You know ‘em better than I do. I’ll take your word for it.” He set his glass down and held out his hand, as if offering a deal. “Seems we’re stuck in this together. Might’s well make the most of it. Partners, Mr. Stark?”

Tony met Barnes’ eyes and saw no hint of duplicity there.

 _Here’s hoping,_ he thought, and shook Barnes’ hand again. “Partners, Mr. Barnes.”

***

There wasn’t much to the wedding itself. If this had been the promised “real” wedding, of course, Howard would have spared no expense and Maria no amount of theatrics to impress whatever industry baron they were selling him off to.

But this was a temporary situation, a matter of convenience, and so they were gathered in a rented private room of a moderately nice restaurant. Not a top-tier place, but nice enough that Barnes and his witnesses were looking around with wide eyes as they were shown into the room.

No elaborate decorations or music or formal clothes. The smallest number of people they could get away with. A no-muss, no-fuss ceremony, the signing of the paperwork, and a quiet dinner.

Honestly, Tony preferred it this way.

He leaned against the wall and eyed the two men Barnes had brought as witnesses, a bonded pair. The alpha was handsome enough in a scruffy sort of way, tousled dirty-blond hair and impressively broad shoulders. The omega was a brighter blond, short and skinny -- Tony tended toward what Maria called _slender_ , but this guy was practically a stick, prominent cheekbones and jutting chin, wrist bones jutting sharply out of his cheap suit sleeves.

They were an odd couple. The alpha seemed relaxed and almost amused, looking around with undisguised curiosity. His eyes lit on Tony only for a moment, for an impersonal once-over. The omega, in a surreal reversal of the usual order, was impatient and sharp-edged, shoving and growling at the alpha when he wasn’t moving fast enough to suit, which the alpha accepted with lackadaisical good cheer. The omega gave Tony a much more thorough inspection, his eyes bright blue and judgmental.

This was, Tony suspected, the best friend that Barnes had mentioned. And the alpha with whom things had been “dicey” at the beginning.

Not that it mattered. If this were a real marriage, Maria would be hissing at him to try to make nice with his husband’s friends, to turn on the charm and get them to like him. But it wasn’t real. And he doubted he’d be seeing much of Barnes’ friends once he and Bucky had moved to Cambridge, anyway. So he maintained his post by the wall, just watching, letting the omega stare, until Maria clapped her hands gently and suggested that they get started.

Shit, this was it. Tony’s stomach turned over as he took his place in front of the officiant, between Howard and Barnes. Transfer of ownership.

And despite their pact, despite his bravado, this was... the unknown. Tony was going to have his first kiss from a man he’d met for the first time only yesterday.

First... everything, really, sooner or later. That was, after all, the whole point of this.

Tony’s stomach rolled again, and he almost missed his cue from the officiant, and stumbled twice over his words as he agreed that he was entering into the marriage willingly. Even if his hands were shaking. When it was Howard’s turn again, Tony snuck a glance at Barnes.

Barnes was looking back at him. His expression was hard to read; Tony didn’t know him well enough. There was a faint crease between his eyebrows, not quite enough to be called a frown. His lips were just barely pursed.

Tony tried a quick little smile, just a quirk of the lip, really. But that line between Barnes’ brows eased some, and he smiled back.

Tony’s hands were still trembling when Barnes took them. That line appeared on Barnes’ forehead again, and he squeezed Tony’s hands gently in what was probably meant to be reassurance.

Tony managed to keep his voice steady, at least, as he repeated his vows. The only one who would know about his attack of nerves was Barnes. Which was... probably okay. Well, it had to be okay, because there was nothing to be done about it.

Then the witnesses stepped back and Barnes was suddenly much closer, nuzzling lightly at Tony’s throat, at the bonding gland there. “‘M sorry,” Barnes whispered, so softly even the officiant probably couldn’t hear it. “This’s gonna hurt a little.”

Tony was hard-pressed not to roll his eyes. The bonding bite was the least of his worries. “Just do it,” he muttered back.

Barnes took a breath, and somehow it was still a surprise when he bit down, a sudden, fiery pain that made Tony gasp.

And then that pain transformed into something else, something warmer and lighter that slid down Tony’s shoulder and into his arms, into his chest and from there, throughout his body. “Oh,” he said, and looked up into Barnes’ silver eyes. Barnes’ scent seemed overwhelming and welcoming all at once, and the whole world seemed brighter.

Barnes looked almost as surprised as Tony felt, nostrils flaring as he breathed in Tony’s scent, swiftly changing with the added marker that pronounced him bonded.

Everything was quiet and still, like the whole world was waiting... _Oh, right_. One last, crucial step of the ceremony: Tony had to demonstrate submission to his new alpha. Tony swallowed, and the sound of it seemed loud. Behind Barnes, several steps back, the omega friend was giving Tony a somewhat sardonic raised eyebrow.

He looked back at Barnes, and suddenly it seemed the easiest thing in the world to tip his head, exposing that mark, and acknowledge, “Alpha.”

Barnes’ pupils widened and he reached up to cover the mark with a gentle hand for a few seconds that stretched like taffy. When he dropped his hand again, Tony swayed toward him, already missing that touch.

The officiant inspected the bite-mark, verifying the thing had been properly done, and then it was over.

“Anthony,” Barnes said softly, as if testing the shape of the name in his mouth.

“It’s Tony,” he corrected. It name came out a little breathlessly.

“Call me Bucky,” his husband said. “‘Most everyone does.”

Tony was startled into a huff of a laugh. “Really?”

Bucky shrugged, good-natured. “It’s that one’s fault,” he said, a quick jerk of the head indicating the couple behind him. Probably the omega, Tony decided.

Bucky leaned in, then. Tony held his breath, but Bucky just brushed a light kiss on Tony’s cheek.

Somewhere between annoyed and amused, Tony rolled his eyes, grabbed the front of Bucky’s shirt, and pulled him back down to plant a kiss right on Bucky’s mouth.

It was warm and soft and not unpleasant, and that was... that was okay. It wasn’t the wondrous, all-consuming thing that movies and books and poetry described, but Tony hadn’t really expected that.

Then Bucky’s hand curled around Tony’s head, cupping his jaw and sliding fingers into his hair. Bucky’s head tilted a little and his mouth softened and moved against Tony’s and-- oh. _Oh_.

It didn’t last long, only a few seconds, but when Bucky pulled away, Tony’s breath was labored and he couldn’t seem to tear his eyes away from Bucky’s face.

Bucky didn’t look away, either, his palm still warm against Tony’s cheek. “Y’okay?”

Tony nodded. “Yeah. Yeah, I’m... I’m good.” Better than good, really, like an empty place inside him had been filled, a place he hadn’t even known existed. And sure, it was probably just biology, his body reacting to the bonding, but Tony didn’t care. He couldn’t remember ever feeling this good.

In a moment, the world would contract around them again. Tony would meet Bucky’s friends, and Maria would fluster and fuss, and Howard would grumble and complain. They’d all eat dinner together and it would be awkward as hell, if the previous evening’s meal had been any indicator. They’d spend the night together, and then Tony would go back to his checklists and Bucky would go back to his own apartment and everything would be normal again, more or less.

But just now, for just a few more seconds, there was nothing else in the world except for Tony and his alpha.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This would be the chapter with the explicit smut (chapters 3 and 4 mention it but are more M-rated fade-to-black about it).

Bucky came awake all at once, heart pounding and breath held as he struggled not to give away his position as he processed unfamiliar surroundings. _Wrong light -- too-soft bed -- unexpected sounds -- unknown smells -- intruder present!_

The body next to his stirred, mumbling sleepily, and Bucky’s nose and brain finally put together _my omega_.

Bucky’s breath left him in a huff as conscious thought finally kicked in, and with it, memory. He was in an upscale Manhattan hotel with his newly-bonded omega. _Married_. Not in a sweltering bunk in the desert, listening to the rhythm of an approaching helicopter to figure out if it was friend or foe. Not in the too-cold, sterile hospital room, grappling with the physical and emotional pain of losing his arm. Not even in his bed in Steve and Clint’s guest room, trying to brace himself to somehow face another day of pitying looks and uselessness.

He wasn’t useless now, he reminded himself. He had an omega to protect and care for, even if it was only a temporary arrangement.

If nothing else, keeping Tony away from his horrific parents was a service that Bucky was providing, just by existing. Jesus, Bucky had no idea how anyone could treat their own kid like that.

He craned his neck a bit to look at Tony. They’d gone to sleep on opposite sides of the big bed, because Tony hadn’t even been allowed to _meet_ Bucky until the evening before the wedding, and Bucky had no intention of forcing himself onto Tony, not any more than the situation required, anyhow. Sometime during the night, however, Tony had wormed his way across the bed -- seeking warmth, probably; Tony was entirely too thin and likely felt the chill more keenly than Bucky -- and was now snugly nestled against Bucky’s side.

 _It’s a marriage of convenience,_ Bucky reminded himself, but it was hard not to feel _something_ when he looked at Tony’s face, slack in sleep, and he couldn’t help breathing in the scent of a contented omega. _His_ omega.

It had been a long damned time since Bucky had slept next to _anyone_ , much less a gorgeous omega. Certain parts of him were responding to Tony’s presence with almost alarming urgency. _Stop that,_ he told his dick.

Tony was clever and sassy and bold, but he’d been _shaking_ as they said their vows yesterday. He clearly was not ready for sex. Might _never_ be, outside of heat.

He couldn’t help remembering the way Tony had pulled him into that kiss, though. The way Tony had melted into it, and then looked at him like Bucky was the center of the universe.

Maybe Tony wouldn’t object to more kissing, sometime.

Not that kissing Tony would help with Bucky’s dick situation. At all. _I’m going to be taking a lot of long showers over the next few years,_ Bucky predicted.

Speaking of which, maybe he could get things under control before Tony woke up.

Bucky carefully disentangled himself from Tony’s grasp and sat up.

He hadn’t even turned to get his legs out of the bed yet, though, when Tony startled awake, pushing up on one hand and staring at Bucky with big, dark eyes that were briefly filled with panic, and then recognition.

“Oh,” Tony breathed. Bucky wondered what that meant, what Tony had expected to see in his own precognitive state, before he’d recognized Bucky. “Uh. Good morning.”

“Hey,” Bucky said. He let his arm fall across his legs and hoped it would hide his erection. Tony’s hair was a fluffy mess, and there were creases pressed into his skin from the rumpled sheets. Bucky wanted to nuzzle at that reddened skin, find out if it was warmer than the rest, discover its taste. _Marriage of convenience,_ he reminded himself sternly, but his eyes were drawn to the mark on Tony’s neck The bond-bite mark was dark and bruised, and some part of Bucky wanted to howl in triumph. _Mine, mine!_ “Sleep okay?”

“Yeah, fine,” Tony said, fidgeting slightly. “You?”

“Great, great,” Bucky said, snapping his eyes back up to Tony’s face. Jesus, could this get any more awkward? “I’m just going to go... you know. Have a shower.” Tony’s eyes flicked toward the bathroom door, then back to Bucky. “Unless you need the room first?”

“No,” Tony said. Cautiously, Bucky thought. He wished he knew what the hell was going on in Tony’s head, but he wasn’t sure _Tony_ knew. “No, you go on ahead. I’ll just wait here.”

“Okay.” Bucky kept the sheet draped across his lap as he slid off the bed, not letting it go until he had his back to Tony.

He didn’t quite sigh in relief when he got the bathroom door closed behind him, but it was a near thing. He turned the shower on, nearly hot enough to scald. His hand was curling around his cock before he’d even finished stepping into the shower, but he couldn’t wait any longer.

He imagined tucking his nose into the curve of Tony’s neck and surrounding himself with that sweet, sleepywarm scent. Nipping, licking at the bond-mark. Indulging in the slow, leisurely mapping of Tony’s mouth. He wanted to make Tony writhe in ecstasy, scream out in pleasure, and then sink into the heated clutch of Tony’s body--

Bucky bit his lip hard as he peaked, splashing the tiles and floor with pulse after pulse of come. He leaned against the wall, panting as quietly as he could, watching the evidence swirl down the drain and waiting for his knot to subside.

At least he didn’t feel quite so tightly wound anymore.

He finished his shower, toweled off, and only then realized his mistake. He’d forgotten to bring his change of clothes in with him. He was going to have to either put yesterday’s slept-in boxers and undershirt back on, or go back out into their room wearing nothing but a towel.

Damn it. He considered the options, then sighed and pulled the boxers back on, then wriggled into the undershirt.

Tony was still in bed. He gave Bucky a small smile as Bucky emerged from the bathroom, a cloud of steam rushing out overhead.

“Sorry, just a bit longer,” Bucky said, reaching for his overnight bag. “Forgot my clothes.”

Tony frowned. “Clothes?”

“I don’t know about you,” Bucky said, “but I wasn’t planning on taking the subway back home naked.”

Tony looked at the clock, then back at Bucky, still frowning. “We’ve got the room for at least three more hours. I figured, since we didn’t, uh... Last night, you know, we just kind of went right to sleep, so...”

“Oh. Tony, no, I... You don’t have to worry about that.”

“What?” Tony sat up to look at him, the sheet falling down around his waist, showing off a bare and distractingly well-toned chest with dusky-pink nipples that just _begged_ for an agile tongue.

Bucky forced his gaze up, scrambled after a sane train of thought. Hadn’t Tony worn a shirt to bed? “I mean, we’ve only known each other for... not even two days. And your heat’s not due for a couple of months, right? I figured we could get to know each other a little, before takin’ it to that level.” Bucky pulled his jeans out of his bag and held them in front of him, almost defensively.

“You... you don’t want to?” Tony’s confusion shifted and slid into something close to _hurt_ before disappearing behind a bland, neutral expression. “Right, yeah, no, of course not. This isn’t, I mean, I’m not--”

“You’re perfect,” Bucky blurted. “Christ, of _course_ I want you. I just... I thought you’d be _relieved_.”

“Why would I be relieved?”

Somewhere, somehow, this whole conversation had taken a sharp left turn, and Bucky was floundering to catch up to it. “Be...cause I’m not askin’ you to sleep with someone who’s practically a stranger?”

Tony looked unimpressed. “I’ve always known I was going to be married to someone who was probably a stranger. You’re going to have to sleep with me _eventually_. Personally, I’d rather get the learning stage over with well before my heat. You know, if I get a say in this at all.” That came out a little sharp, almost like a challenge.

“Of course you get a say,” Bucky said, still trying to find his footing. “I just... I want it to be something you can enjoy. I don’t want to frighten you.”

Tony rolled his eyes. “I’m a virgin, I’m not an _innocent_ ,” he said. “The internet is for porn; I know how sex works. You’re not going to send me to the fainting couch with your big scary knot.” He hesitated, head tipping a little as he considered Bucky. “Aaaand now you’re starting to wonder if you’re going to make it through four years without strangling me.”

“Maybe a little,” Bucky admitted. He reminded himself that, however brash Tony’s words were, the omega was still staring down the throat of something uncertain and new. “Mostly, I’m tryn’a figure out how many wrong ideas you’ve got if you learned about sex from watching knothead porn.”

Tony scowled. “I didn’t get it _all_ from porn,” he muttered, but all the belligerence seemed to have faded away.

Bucky dropped his bag and sat on the side of the bed. “I know this is just a marriage of convenience for you,” he said, “but I like you. And even if it’s just temporary, it means something to me. I’d be a shit alpha if I didn’t treat you right.”

The look Tony gave him was startled, and then measuring. “I like you, too,” he said. “At least, I think I do.” He scooted a little closer to Bucky, tentatively, as if uncertain of Bucky’s reaction.

Which was, in fact, probably the case. Bucky tried to look a little more reassuring. He wasn’t sure he managed it.

Tony looked down at his hands. “I like you,” he repeated. “And I... I really liked it when you kissed me. That was... um. I liked it. A lot. And,” he continued in a rush, before Bucky could think of how to respond, “and I like knowing things. I like knowing what’s going to happen. Even if they’re bad things. I’d rather _know_ , and get it over with, than just anticipating and _wondering_. And I don’t... I don’t think it would be a bad thing, with you. But I’d... I’d like to _know_.”

Bucky had to admit, Tony... had a point. Even if he was far more nervous than he was letting on. Maybe even _especially_ if he was more nervous than he was letting on. Bucky maybe owed it to him to prove that it was going to be all right. Maybe even _good_ , but certainly not something he had to dread.

Bucky’s body certainly seemed to be in agreement.

And Tony was looking at Bucky now, eyes wide and lip caught between his teeth as he tried to read the weather on Bucky’s expression, and Bucky _definitely_ shouldn’t leave him hanging with that uncertainty.

“Okay,” he said.

“I-- okay?”

“As long as that’s what you want,” Bucky agreed. “You change your mind, or you don’t like something, you’ve gotta promise to _tell_ me, all right? Don’t turn me into the kind of knothead who neglects an omega’s feelings.”

Tony nodded quickly. “I will.”

“Promise,” Bucky urged, even as he cupped Tony’s cheek in his palm.

“Yeah. I promise,” Tony said.

“Good. You said you liked that kiss, yeah?” Tony nodded again. “Me, too.” Bucky leaned in to brush Tony’s mouth with his own, once, twice, three times, letting his tongue flick out to taste Tony’s bottom lip.

Tony gasped a little, and Bucky pursued the sound, inhaled it. Licked into Tony’s mouth and mapped it with his tongue. He moved his arm around Tony’s waist, gently tugging until he’d pulled Tony onto his lap to straddle his thighs.

“God, doll, you smell so _good_.” Bucky buried his nose in Tony’s neck, lipped at the bond-bite, though it had to still be sore and tender.

Tony just groaned and tipped his head further, encouraging more.

Bucky splayed his hand across Tony’s back and gave himself over to exploring Tony’s throat and jaw, the soft patch just behind his ear. Nibbling at Tony’s collarbone made him shiver; teeth along the shell of his ear made him gasp.

Bucky slowly became aware that Tony was clutching at his shoulders, hips rolling in a desperate bid for friction. He pulled back to look at Tony’s face and found Tony’s eyes closed, long lashes brushing flushed cheeks, and that sweet, plump mouth hanging open, lips red from kissing.

“So beautiful,” Bucky murmured. He scooted back further onto the bed and then carefully tipped Tony over onto the mattress. “I could just devour you, you look so sweet.”

Tony looked up at Bucky, those big brown eyes pupil-blown and dazed with desire. “Bucky...”

“That’s right, doll,” Bucky purred. “I’ve got you. You feeling good, sweetheart?”

Tony nodded, reached up to brush his fingers across Bucky’s lips. “Yeah,” he said, and Bucky loved the slightly hoarse, throaty sound of his voice. “Yeah, it’s... I’m good, I’m... great.”

“I’m glad to hear it,” Bucky said, which was nothing like an adequate expression of the swell of pride and lust and affection that threatened to drown him as he looked down at Tony, knowing that he had been the one to make Tony feel that way, to look like this, loose-limbed and eager. “God, look at you, I want to just... taste you all over.”

Tony shivered, but Bucky thought there was more desire than fear in the reaction. “What... what should I do? What do you want me to...”

Bucky tipped his head to kiss Tony’s fingers where they lingered on his jaw. “This time is all for you,” he said. “What do you want to do?”

Tony frowned a little, and Bucky wanted to kiss that little wrinkle until it smoothed away. “But you--”

“I want you to feel comfortable,” Bucky said. “I want you to enjoy this. Most of all, I want you to know that you can trust me. That’s so much more important than popping my knot, sweetheart. If there’s something that will help you feel better, then that’s what I want.”

“Can I, um. See?” Tony flushed.

“‘Course.” Bucky stood up to shuck his boxers and drag his shirt back off over his head, then stretched out on the bed next to Tony, tucking his hand up under his head. “I’m all yours, doll. Go ahead.”

The blush never faded, but Tony sat up and examined what seemed like every inch of Bucky’s skin, from his face right down to his toes, and then back up. Bucky would’ve been lying if he’d said that close, careful scrutiny didn’t affect him, making his cock throb and strain as if it was trying to show off.

He didn’t skip past the stump of Bucky’s ruined arm, but his expression there was only thoughtful, neither pitying nor disgusted. He reached out a hand and then froze, fingertips only a scant inch from Bucky’s chest, and flicked a glance at Bucky’s face.

“Go ahead,” Bucky invited. “You can touch, I don’t mind.” Which was an understatement if Bucky had ever made one. He wanted Tony to touch him. He _needed_ it.

Tony’s hand brushed gently down the Bucky’s sternum, then back up, skirting past his nipple to slide up his shoulder and neck.

Warmth flooded through him and his skin tingled where Tony had touched it. It was possible, Bucky thought, that he was a little touch-starved. Tony probably was, too, given the way his parents acted. He closed his eyes to luxuriate in the sensation. “Feels nice.”

“Yeah?” Tony grew a little bolder, carefully exploring the dip and ridge of Bucky’s collarbone, the curves of Bucky’s chest. He hesitated again when he neared the scars on Bucky’s shoulder. “Is it, should I not--?”

“It doesn’t hurt anymore,” Bucky said. “The skin’s not very sensitive because of all the scars, but you don’t have to worry about avoiding it.”

“Okay.” Tony’s fingers curled over Bucky’s shoulder, warmth and gentle pressure, and traveled down what was left of Bucky’s arm.

Before Bucky could wonder if he’d ask what had happened, Tony had moved on, exploring the soft skin of Bucky’s stomach, the jut of Bucky’s hip.

Bucky kept his eyes closed and his breathing slow and even, but his cock betrayed his thoughts, jumping in anticipation, demanding to be noticed.

He didn’t have time to wonder if Tony had noticed it before Tony’s hand was closing around it, warm and sure and gentle. Bucky’s eyes flew open. “Tony--”

“Not that different from mine,” Tony said, mouth twisting in a wry smile. “Just this--” He squeezed carefully at the base, where the knot formed. Bucky sucked in a breath and Tony pulled his hand back, looking up, wide-eyed. “Sorry!”

“Nothin’ to be sorry for,” Bucky said roughly. “Just... been a while since anyone else touched me there.” He reached for Tony’s hand and drew it back. “I like it.”

“It wasn’t too hard?” Tony’s fingers played up and down Bucky’s shaft.

“Christ, no,” Bucky huffed. “It’s built for a tight fit.” He curled his own hand around Tony’s and demonstrated the grip he liked when he was stroking off, firm around the head and down the shaft and then heavy pressure at the base.

“Oh, wow,” Tony said. “That’s... a lot tighter than I expected.”

Bucky grinned. “Guess you can’t learn _every_ thing from porn, huh?” Tony looked so adorable at that, flustered and pouty and blushing, that Bucky couldn’t resist the urge to sit up and kiss him again, teasing at the edges of his lips until they were both breathing hard. When Bucky broke away, Tony’s eyes were wide and dark, and he was clutching at Bucky’s shoulders almost desperately.

“Can I-- I want to make you feel good, doll, can I do that for you?” Bucky nuzzled at Tony’s throat, licking over the bondbite, feeling the heat of it under his lips.

Tony nodded against Bucky’s shoulder, his face tucked against Bucky’s neck. Bucky nudged him into another kiss, drawing it out, on and on and on even as he laid Tony back against the pillows. “You just tell me if you want me to stop,” he reminded Tony, and then he was mouthing down over Tony’s smooth, creamy skin, sucking one dusky nipple into his mouth and teasing it erect with his tongue.

Tony gasped and arched into it, and his hands came up to cradle Bucky’s head. He was delightfully responsive, breathy and shivering after only a few moments of teasing.

“Hmm, you like that,” Bucky purred. He turned to the other side, already taut and peaked. He dragged his teeth over the pebbled flesh and listened to Tony’s hiss turn into a soft whine of need.

Tony’s stomach was soft, the muscles underneath tensing and twitching as Bucky kissed and sucked and licked his way downward. “Bucky...”

“You need me to stop, darlin’?” Bucky nuzzled at the line of Tony’s hip.

“No!” Tony’s hands were in Bucky’s hair again, not pushing or pulling, just restlessly clenching. “No, don’t stop...”

“That’s good,” Bucky said. “That’s good, babydoll, you just relax and let me make you feel good, yeah?”

Tony sputtered out a breathless laugh. “Relax, he says. How’m I supposed to relax when you’re doing _that?_ ”

“I know, I know.” Bucky licked a stripe up Tony’s cock and chuckled a little at Tony’s groan. “I’m the worst.”

“I wouldn’t say _tha--ah!--at_ , oh god, Bucky, that’s-- _Oh!_ ”

Bucky couldn’t take Tony all the way down to the base without triggering his gag reflex, but Tony didn’t seem about to complain. It took a little shuffling around to get himself situated between Tony’s legs, stump thrown over one thigh so he could free up his hand to cup Tony’s balls, then slide downward to tease at Tony’s hole.

He was already wet and slick, and Bucky’s fingers slid right into the heated clutch of his body, so tight it made Bucky’s knot ache just thinking about it. “Oh, Tony, you feel so sweet.” He pumped his fingers in and out slowly, gently tugging at the rim, tonguing at the head of Tony’s cock to set up a feedback loop of pleasure. “You like that, doll?”

Tony’s hands were fisted in the sheets, his head thrown back beautifully, and the scent of his arousal hung heavy around them, making Bucky’s alpha hindbrain growl in possessive satisfaction. “Bucky, oh, oh god, I need, I need--”

“I know what you need, babydoll,” Bucky promised. “I’m gonna make you feel so good.” He twisted his fingers inside Tony, searching, and grinned smugly when Tony let out a startled yelp and arched half off the bed.

“Bucky!”

Bucky kept pushing in and out until Tony’s hole was a relaxed and loose and the rest of him was wound tight. He was panting and half-sobbing with every breath, his body twisting and writhing, and _Christ_ , he was so beautiful, Bucky felt like he could do this for _hours_.

But finally he slipped free, soothing Tony’s wordless sound of protest with a soft murmur. When Tony looked at him, half-dazed with need, Bucky smiled and licked some of the slick off his knuckles. It was earthy and just a little bit sweet, and Bucky promised himself that, once they’d gotten settled in their apartment in Cambridge, he was going to see if he could rim Tony right into climax.

For now, he knelt up between Tony’s thighs. “Hold your knees back for me, babydoll.” He pushed Tony’s left leg back to demonstrate, and Tony nodded and wrapped his arms behind his knees. “That’s just right, that’s perfect,” Bucky said, and then he was sinking into that heat and oh god, _Christ_ , it was so _good_. “Tony,” he moaned, “shit, you’re _perfect_.” He leaned up over Tony’s body, nipping lightly at Tony’s throat. “Tell me how you feel, babydoll, can you?”

“Full,” Tony panted. “Stretched and full. But in a... a good way?”

“That’s great, sugar, that’s just exactly right.” Bucky slid out, slow enough to be half torture, and then back in. And again. And again, a little faster, and faster, until his body found the perfect rhythm.

Tony hooked his legs around the small of Bucky’s back and wrapped his arms around Bucky’s shoulders, hanging on tight. “Bucky,” he gasped, “oh, Bucky, yes, that’s amazing, that’s-- oh _god_ , don’t stop, I need--”

“I’ve got you, sweetheart, I’ve got you.” Despite having jerked off in the shower, Bucky was racing toward climax; it had been so long since he’d had sex that everything seemed overwhelming, and Tony’s scent was everywhere, demanding _more_ and _harder_ and _deeper_ until he was nearly out of his mind with it.

“Doll, Tony, darlin’, ‘f you don’t want me t’ knot you, best speak up now,” he managed. Some omegas didn’t like being knotted outside of their heat, and god, it would take every ounce of willpower he had to pull out instead of sinking deeper into Tony’s hot, soft flesh, but he would do it, he wouldn’t let himself be one of _those_ alphas--

“Want it,” Tony said. He looked up at Bucky and his pupils were so blown the brown of his eyes was barely even visible. “Please, Bucky, I need--” He curled up and tucked his face against Bucky’s shoulder, which -- maybe by coincidence, maybe not -- put his bondbite just under Bucky’s lips. “Knot me, alpha,” he whispered.

Bucky’s blood roared hot in his veins like a fire and he pushed as deep as their bodies would allow as he came, shuddering with the force of it. “ _God,_ Tony, oh god, you’re so good, so beautiful, mine, _my_ omega, you’re perfect, gonna take such good care of you...” He was babbling, but he couldn’t seem to stop.

As the aftershocks of the orgasm faded away and Bucky’s knot locked them together, Tony gasped and then hissed, wriggling a little and then letting out a soft whine.

“Tony? Is it too much, sweetheart?”

Tony bit his lip, and Bucky could feel him clenching down, his body instinctively trying to push Bucky out. “Shh, baby, try to relax, it’s-- Hang on, let’s try... Hang on really tight, okay?”

Bucky leaned into his elbow and carefully rolled them over until Tony was lying on Bucky’s chest, head pillowed in the hollow of his shoulder. “Any better?”

Tony wiggled his hips a little, experimentally, and nodded. “Yeah, that’s... That’s a lot better. It didn’t even hurt, before, it’s just... a lot.”

Bucky petted Tony’s hair and stroked down his back like he was a cat, soothing. “That’s good, doll. Don’t want to hurt you. Never want that.” He teased his fingers along Tony’s side, where their skin was pressed together. “You want to lift up just a little, an’ I’ll get you there?”

“Get me--” Tony’s eyes widened. “While we’re _knotted?_ ”

Bucky hummed. “My ma always told me, you do right by your omega while you’re knotted, it makes for strong, healthy babies.”

“I’m not even in heat,” Tony pointed out. “And on birth control, besides.”

“Doesn’t mean I can’t get you off,” Bucky said reasonably. “Unless you don’t want to.”

“I do, I just... I figured I’d have to take care of that myself, after.” Carefully, Tony propped his hands on Bucky’s shoulders and pushed himself upward.

Bucky grunted. “We’ve gotta find you some better porn, sugar. What kind of knothead alpha don’t even want to see his omega all blissed out and happy?” He slipped his hand between their bodies and curled it around Tony’s cock. “Oh, babydoll, still hard for me, huh? Why on earth wouldn’t I want to play with such a gorgeous cock? Look at you, you’re the prettiest damn thing I ever saw.” He stroked Tony gently, then harder, watching Tony’s face for his cues.

“Want you to come for me, darlin’. Wanna feel you letting go, squeezing tight on my knot. Watch you get all flushed and hot and shivering, just for me.” Bucky kept talking, kept stroking. Tony was biting his lip again and it was the most beautiful thing Bucky had ever seen, those long eyelashes laid against his cheeks and his mouth all red and caught under his teeth.

Tony’s mouth fell open and he threw his head back, shaking all over. Bucky twisted his hand and Tony cried out and spilled over Bucky’s hand, a stream of come splattering up Bucky’s chest. He clenched down around Bucky’s knot, or tried, and that felt almost better than actually climaxing. “...oh god,” Tony panted.

“That was _beautiful_ , baby,” Bucky breathed. He wanted to cup that still-flushed face and draw Tony in for a kiss, but his hand was covered in jizz, dammit. He looked around. There was a box of tissues on the table by the bed, but it was well out of reach. “Damn it... I did not think this through.”

Tony giggled weakly and grabbed the corner of the sheet, dragging it over to wipe them down. “Yeah, good thing we’re almost done with this bed.”

“There’s my smart omega,” Bucky said, and was pleased at the way it made the flush climb back up Tony’s cheeks. He pulled Tony in for that kiss, slow and easy and gentle, and sighed happily when Tony laid back down on his chest, head against his shoulder.

“Guess it’s not so bad,” Tony mumbled sleepily, “bein’ married.”


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: This chapter is where the "Domestic Violence" tag comes in; it's relatively minor, but if you're worried and want more information before reading, please don't hesitate to ask!

It started as an itch at the base of Tony’s spine. He noticed it in the shower, when the fall of water down his back felt like a bruise, and when he reached back to test that soreness, his skin felt hot and a little swollen and... itchy.

“Fuck,” Tony muttered. Well, he’d known he couldn’t avoid it forever.

He finished his shower, taking extra care to scrub down thoroughly, then pulled on his loosest, softest sweats and went in search of his husband. His _alpha_.

“Need you to come to campus with me today.”

Bucky glanced up from where he was measuring coffee for the pot. He was still in the boxers and t-shirt that he’d slept in. “What for?”

Tony opened the fridge and took stock of the contents. They’d need to do a grocery run after they came back from campus, too. “Heat’s on its way,” he said. “You need to come loom protectively so no throwback alphas try to jump me or whatever while I collect my assignments for the rest of the week.”

“Oh.” Bucky sniffed, trying to be subtle about it, and Tony rolled his eyes. “How, uh, how long until it hits?” Bucky finally asked.

Tony wobbled his hand; he wasn’t sure how much the close presence of his bonded alpha would affect his usual schedule. “At least four or five hours. Not more than ten to twelve. So time is of the essence, but we don’t need to _really_ rush it.”

“You can’t just email them?”

Tony shrugged. “I have a project to turn in anyway, and some of them are kind of slow about answering emails. I want the list before it hits -- I might come down enough to do some of the work between, uh--” Tony felt his cheeks go warm. “--between spikes. Anyway, Dad always said it’s harder to turn someone down in person.” Not that Howard had ever had any trouble turning _Tony_ down, but whatever else Howard was, he was a shrewd businessman.

“Okay,” Bucky said. He flipped the switch on the coffee pot and started it brewing, then kissed the top of Tony’s head as he passed on his way back to the bedroom. “Save me a cup or two, babydoll.”

“I’ll pour us each a travel mug,” Tony promised.

They made their way around the campus. Tony had long since worked out these conversations in his head. “Professor, I’m going to need to take a few days off for personal reasons.” That was specific without being explicit. It wasn’t like the professors didn’t _know_ he was an omega. “Can I get the next few assignments a little early, so I can stay caught up?” Or in one case, “Can I have a three-day extension on my paper? It’s almost finished -- I can send you the draft as soon as I’m home to prove it -- but I’ll need some extra time to write the conclusion and polish it up.”

Omega students were rare, but numerous enough that professors all had their own answers worked out, too: a promise to email the relevant requirements, a link to the site where the recorded class lectures were hosted, an extension, a hastily-scrawled post-it with the reading assignment. Most of them gave him a week to finish the assignments.

As they crossed the campus toward their last stop, Bucky let out a huff. “They always _look_ at me,” he complained. “Like they need my permission to give you your homework?”

“Some alphas get twitchy about anyone else giving their omega orders,” Tony pointed out, amused. “Especially with an oncoming heat. Better safe than sorry.”

Bucky grunted. “I’m gonna just stay out in the hall for the next one.”

“Whatever you say, alpha,” Tony teased. Because he _could_. Because Bucky didn’t seem to think he was due any special deference because he was an alpha.

Professor Jones, though, _did_.

Jones had gotten his tenure a million years ago, and he didn’t believe omegas should be allowed to go to college at all, much less to a prestigious school like M.I.T. Tony had known that, had known Jones didn’t like him much, but he’d been prepared to prove himself, or to just endure until the class was done.

He hadn’t been prepared for this.

“I’m sorry, Mr. Stark,” Jones said with an oily sneer. “If you can’t keep up with the other students on your own merits, then you will just have to take a zero for the assignments you miss.”

“That’s got to be against university policy,” Tony protested.

“University policy,” Professor Jones said, “requires me to allow you to attend my class. What to do in the case of missed classes and late coursework, however, is up to the individual professor.”

“Oh, that’s just bullshit,” Bucky said, pushing into the small office from his post in the hall. “If one of your students had the flu or a broken leg, you’d reschedule for them.”

Jones eyed Bucky, obviously gauging their relative statuses against whatever paleolithic criteria Jones measured by, and sniffed. “Your omega does not have a broken leg or the flu, or any other medical ailment,” he said icily. “He has a recurring hormonal condition that makes him unfit for polite society and, frankly, ill-suited for any work more demanding than menial labor. His father may be indulging him by allowing him to pretend to achieve an education, but I choose not to participate in the farce any more than I absolutely must.”

“Now, listen here--”

“My word is final,” Jones said firmly. “Good day, gentlemen.”

“You can’t just--”

“Bucky,” Tony overrode urgently. He caught Bucky’s hand and pressed it to his chest. “You’re not going to change his mind. Let’s just go.”

Bucky hesitated, clearly wanting to continue to push, but Tony had to come back to this class after his heat. He couldn’t afford for the professor to dislike him any more than he already did. Finally, Bucky let out a sigh. “All right, darlin’. Only ‘cause we’ve got more important things to do with our afternoon.”

As they made their way back to the edge of campus, Tony grumbled, “He’s going to give a pop quiz while I’m out, I can just _feel_ it.”

Bucky hummed and rubbed Tony’s back a little, which made him want to arch into the touch -- maybe the heat was coming on faster than he’d thought. “You got a number or email for anyone in the class?” he asked.

“Yeah, I swapped numbers with this one guy the first week in because he was still waiting on his scholarship check to clear and couldn’t buy the book yet. So I’d give him mine and he’d text me when he was done with it.”

“Yeah?” Bucky smiled down at him, which made Tony’s stomach -- and other parts -- feel warm and light. “That’s sweet of you, babydoll. How about you text your friend and make sure he sends you whatever assignment is due the day you get back, so that bastard can’t nail you for _that_ , anyway?”

“Yeah,” Tony agreed. He pulled out his phone and started tapping, trusting Bucky to steer him to the bus stop. “Thanks for sticking up for me, though.”

“Anytime,” Bucky said, dropping a kiss on the top of Tony’s head.

***

If Tony had known how much better a heat would be with an alpha at his beck and call, he might have pushed to get married much sooner.

Well, no, he wouldn’t, because he couldn’t imagine any other alpha treating him as well as Bucky did, making sure Tony was comfortable and enjoying himself beyond the mere satiation of his desperate need for a knot.

He made sure Tony stayed fed and hydrated, lulled him into napping, even brought Tony his laptop and books so he could tuck into his homework during the occasional lucid moment. He held Tony close even when they were both drenched in sweat, and the way he kept his nose tucked into Tony’s neck when they were resting, lips grazing the long-since-healed bond mark, was inexplicably soothing.

It was like something out of a lurid romance, this almost startling balance of amazing sex and patient, tender care. Tony would have to do something extra nice for Bucky when it was all over, by way of thanks.

On the third (and probably final) day, Tony was dozing, curled in the protective arc of Bucky’s body, when Bucky’s phone buzzed with a text. Tony heard it, but didn’t really let it drag him out of his sleepy contentment, until Bucky pulled away and sat up. Tony rolled over just enough to look at his mate. “Mm?”

Bucky smiled fondly and ran his fingers through Tony’s hair. “S’okay, babydoll, you go back to sleep. I won’t be long.”

Tony pouted a little -- he slept better with Bucky beside him -- but let Bucky tuck him in, pulling the blankets up to cover skin left chilled by Bucky’s absence. He was already fading out again when he felt Bucky drop a soft kiss on his temple.

He roused again at the sound of the apartment door opening, and voices in the hall. One of them was Bucky’s, though, so that was all right. Maybe Bucky had ordered delivery. Tony’s heat was subsiding enough that he had some brain cells left over to realize how _hungry_ he was after three days of intense sex with little more than occasional snacks for energy.

A few moments later, Bucky returned, sliding back into the bed and throwing his arm over Tony’s side. “Food?” Tony mumbled.

Bucky chuckled. “Didn’t bring any with me, but I can order something up if you’re hungry.”

“Mm-hm,” Tony agreed, and then sniffed. His sense of smell was still cranked up to eleven, and Bucky smelled like... like a strange omega. Stronger than he should if it’d just been a delivery person. “Who was at the door?”

“You remember my friend, Stevie? He’s come up for a visit and to help out.”

“Help out?” Tony squinted up at Bucky. “With what?”

“Um.” Was Bucky _blushing?_ “Uh. I emailed your mom the first night, to let her know it had started, and she... She said she couldn’t make it for... you know, the... first nest.”

“Well, thank god for that,” Tony said, trying to ignore a momentary pang of rejection. “The first nest tradition is kind of outdated anyway.” Time was, an omega’s parent would visit for a few days after their first bonded heat, to pass down their knowledge of pregnancy and childbirth; these days, Tony could find all the information he wanted online. “And it’s supposed to be about reassurance and support, and she’s never been any good at either of those.” Maria probably would’ve spent the whole time making pointed comments about how Tony was failing to live up to her standards. “Not to mention that it’s kind of irrelevant, anyway, since I’m on birth control.”

Bucky was looking at him with a sort of guarded, careful expression that Tony couldn’t read, so he made himself stop babbling. “What’s that got to do with Steve?”

“I was sort of texting with him last night,” Bucky said. “While you were napping. And I might’ve mentioned it, and...” Bucky sighed. “Steve’s Ma passed before he ever had his first heat, nevermind his bonding. And he was kinda broken up about that, after. An’ I thought, you should still get to have that. Even if it’s, you know, just a irrelevant tradition, these days.”

“So you... You asked him to come? For _me?_ ” God, Bucky was so sweet and considerate. Tony was going to miss him after they’d gone their separate ways.

“Sure,” Bucky said. “Only makes sense, if you-- Uh.” Tony smirked and pushed Bucky over onto his back, throwing a leg over and mounting him like a horse. “Ready for another round now, huh?”

Tony leaned down to kiss Bucky, deep and sweet. “Now,” he agreed.

***

The next time Tony woke up, he was drenched in sweat, like a fever had broken, and his body no longer itched and ached with a need to be filled. Instead, it ached in a far less pleasant way, and his skin felt clammy and scummy.

He sat up, and Bucky reached for him sleepily. “Y’kay?” Bucky slurred.

Tony patted Bucky’s hand. “Heat’s done,” he said. “You rest. I need a shower.”

“‘Kay.”

Tony had only gotten out of the bed a handful of times over the last few days. He was going to take the longest, hottest shower possible, and then... He might have to burn these bedsheets.

His intentions lasted just long enough for him to stand up -- and then the world tipped sharply to one side, his knees gave out, and everything went dark.

***

“...coming around,” a voice was saying. “See? I toldya he’d be just fine.”

Tony’s head was still swimming, and everything sounded like it was filtering through water.

“Tony?” That was Bucky, though he sounded... off, somehow. Tony couldn’t quite put his finger on it. “Hey, sweetheart, you in there?”

Tony opened his eyes long enough to see Bucky looming over him, brow furrowed and mouth pinched. And then the room was spinning around, making him feel dizzy and sick. He squeezed his eyes shut again.

“Tony? What’s wrong, babydoll? What can I do? What do you need? What-- What’s wrong with him? He’s not _fine_ , this is _definitely not fine!_ ”

Tony winced as Bucky’s rising volume made his head start pounding in addition to spinning around.

“Oh my _god_ , stop yelling like an insensitive knothead,” snapped the other voice. Quietly, for which Tony was grateful. “He’s probably just dehydrated and exhausted. Go get a bottle of Gatorade or something.”

“I don’t think we have any.”

Pointed silence.

“I ain’t _leavin’_ him, not like this!”

“Oh, yes you are,” the determined voice said. “First nest privileges. You’re lucky if I don’t boot you out of the apartment entirely.”

“But he’s--”

“He’s _fine_. Go to the store. Buy some Gatorade. Stop somewhere and get food for all of us. Lots of it. Not too greasy, lots of protein and carbs. Chinese is fine, but white rice, not fried. Soup. Can you handle that?”

“But Tony--”

“I’ll take care of Tony.” The voice dropped a little, softened. “It’s okay, pal, I promise. He’s gonna be all right. He just needs to drink something, and eat, and then get lots of rest. In that order. He needs you to help him with those things, okay? Needs you to be the provider, here.”

“...Are you trying to appeal to my alpha nature?”

“Is it working? Then yes, I absolutely am. _Go_. Get out. I will call if anything changes that you need to know about.”

“I... Fine.” Footsteps, and then the bedroom door closing. A moment later, muffled, the apartment door.

There was a huff of a sigh, and then a gentle hand smoothed Tony’s hair back from his face. “I love him like my own brother, but he can be _such_ a knothead sometimes.”

Tony managed to open one eye a slit. “...Steve?”

“Hey, you remember me. That’s great.” Steve, thank god, kept his voice low and calm. “Ain’t gonna ask how you’re feeling, because I’m pretty sure I can take a guess.”

“What happened?”

“You fainted. Stood up too fast, probably. And then, naturally, Bucky panicked. As if _that_ ever did anyone any good.”

Tony opened his eye a little more. “Thought he was your friend.”

“Sure,” Steve said readily. “I’d follow Bucky to hell and back. Doesn’t mean he’s not a stupid alpha sometimes.”

Tony hummed, conceding the point, and risked opening the other eye, now that the room wasn’t spinning quite so violently. “You didn’t have to come.”

“Sure, I know. But then I wouldn’t have been here to keep Bucky from -- I don’t know, calling an ambulance or something.” Steve grinned. “Should’a filmed it for you. Blackmail material for _days_.”

Tony laughed. “Yeah, you should’ve.” Tony sniffed, but couldn’t detect the presence of another alpha nearby. “Where’s your... Clint?”

“At home,” Steve said, and grinned wryly. “The _last_ thing you need right now is _another_ alpha.”

Tony huffed a little laugh. “Yeah. Nice that you can travel so far without him.”

Steve leaned back, one eyebrow raised. “This isn’t the _dark ages_ , omegas are allowed to travel on their own.”

“I know, I just--” _Was never allowed to._ Tony shook it off, reaching for humor. “You know I don’t need you to, I dunno, give me the ‘how babies grow’ speech or anything.”

Steve snorted. “Good, ‘cause I got no idea how it’s s’posed to go. You think, if we go slow, you can sit up?”

“Let’s give it a try.” Tony inched his way back on the bed and propped himself up on a small mound of pillows that Steve stuffed behind him. He felt dizzy again almost immediately, but it wasn’t as bad as before, and it started to fade after one long woozy wave.

“Great. Nah, I came ‘cause Buck asked me to, ‘cause he thought you should have another omega around for a day or so. It’s not essential, but it helps. Something to do with helping the hormone levels return to baseline.”

“Yeah, I read that somewhere,” Tony said. “Figured I’d just stubborn it out. Can’t be as bad as waiting out a heat alone, right?”

“You got that right,” Steve agreed. “But Bucky wanted better than that, for you.”

“That’s... really sweet of him.”

“Yeah, he’s that kinda guy.” Steve sat on the side of the bed. “Plus, you know, he likes you.”

“I like him too,” Tony said.

Steve grunted. “Look, Bucky... He’s not good at casual. He gets attached. Has already gotten pretty damned attached, from what I’ve seen. And I don’t know all the details of your arrangement, here, but I do know it ain’t for the long term.”

“He knew what he was getting into when he signed on,” Tony pointed out, though Steve wasn’t wrong. It wasn’t like he hadn’t noticed that Bucky was getting warmer toward him. Still. “He’s an adult.”

“I know, I know,” Steve sighed. “I just... Try to make sure he doesn’t get too many unrealistic notions, okay? And when it’s time to break it off... be gentle with him. For my sake, if nothing else. ‘Cause you ain’t gonna be around to pick up the pieces. That’ll be me.”

“Yeah,” Tony said. “Yeah, I’ll try to keep him on level ground.”

***

Tony didn’t really want to go home for Christmas break -- it wasn’t like he actually missed his parents, and it might’ve been nice to have a couple of extra weeks to prepare for the spring semester. (At least this time, he’d had a chance to scout the professors ahead of time and avoid the utter dickheads.)

But Howard wanted a report and probably some publicity press, and Bucky... maybe needed a little extra space to clear his head and remind himself that their bonding was temporary. “You don’t want to deal with my parents,” Tony told him reasonably, “and I’m sure you’ve got family and friends who’ve been missing you. I’ll see you in three weeks.”

The way Bucky clung and kissed him at the train station before he left was enough to tell Tony that he’d been right about them needing some time apart.

The way Tony’s thoughts kept circling back to Bucky on the trip suggested that maybe Bucky wasn’t the only one who was getting a little too invested.

It was Jarvis waiting for him in the train station, because of course it was. Tony’s throat closed a little at the proud smile Jarvis greeted him with, and maybe it wasn’t _100%_ awful to have come home, after all.

“You’re looking exceptionally well, young sir,” Jarvis said as he took Tony’s bag. “The air in Cambridge must agree with you.”

“I guess so,” Tony said, gesturing for Jarvis to lead the way.

He nearly tripped over his own feet when he caught sight of the car and realized that his mother was sitting in it, waiting. “She came with you?”

“Of course. We have all missed you, young sir, and have been eager to see you again.” Jarvis took a few more steps in silence, then added, “And I believe she intends to take advantage of the trip to run a few errands.”

Tony didn’t let his expression falter, even as his heart sank. Of course Maria hadn’t come for _Tony’s_ sake. It was all a matter of convenience. Nothing had changed. Why should it have?

Jarvis opened the car door. Tony climbed in and didn’t flinch at the sound of the door being closed behind him.

“You’ve put on weight,” Maria observed, tipping her head to study him.

 _Because Bucky doesn’t want me starving myself for some unattainable ideal._ “Hi, Mom, it’s nice to see you, too.”

“It’s a good thing I was already planning to stop at the tailor’s. Maybe François can do something to make you look less... puffy.”

“School’s great, I love it. I’m applying for an overload next semester. It’s probably too soon to be thinking about doctoral programs, but--”

“I’m sure your father will want to hear all about it,” Maria said, which they both knew was patently false. She tipped her head the other way to study his face. “Have you been sleeping? There are dark circles under your eyes.”

“I sleep,” Tony hedged. “There’s a lot of studying and work involved.” And because Bucky didn’t try to control every minute of Tony’s day like he was a toddler.

“Well, it’s no good educating you if you’re just going to float around looking like some sort of hollow-eyed revenant.”

“Yeah, we wouldn’t want anyone getting the idea that there’s more to me than my pretty face.”

Maria huffed. “We haven’t even gotten home and you’re already being difficult,” she complained. “Sit up straight, that slouch is quite unbecoming.”

Tony had nearly forgotten how much he hated being his mother’s dress-up doll. He wondered if he could trade in his return ticket to go back to Cambridge the day after Christmas, instead of waiting around until after New Year’s.

But he let her drag him into the tailor’s shop so François could reassure her that Tony’s added weight could be worked around, and then he let her drag him to Maria’s makeup consultant to get some concealer for the circles under his eyes.

Howard, at least, didn’t comment on Tony’s weight. He eyed Tony sourly over his glass at dinner. “When are grades posted?”

“I’m not sure,” Tony admitted. “I only took my last final yesterday. Soon, I guess.”

Howard grunted. “You’d better have done well, or I’ll be a laughingstock for having allowed it.”

“I’m sure it will be fine,” Maria put in before Tony could respond. “Anthony, be sure to check your shoes tonight and make sure you have something suitable to go with the suit François is putting together for you. We’re going to a dinner party tomorrow evening.”

Tony put his fork down. “Is-- Should I let Bu-- James know?” He’d heard the sort of remarks his mother made about omegas who attended events without their alphas.

“Don’t be absurd, darling,” Maria chided. “Your father will be there.”

“But--”

“Everyone knows your bonding is just a formality,” she continued. “They all know you still _really_ belong to us.”

That was true, but somehow it left a cold pit in the bottom of his stomach anyway. Tony managed another three bites of dinner before he excused himself. “Just not hungry,” he said.

Maria smiled encouragingly at him as he left, no doubt pleased that he was taking steps to remedy that unseemly weight gain.

When he got to his room, he pulled out his phone and scrolled to Bucky’s name in his messages. He sat there, his thumbs hovering over the keypad, for a long minute... but what was he going to say? _Miss you? Wish you were here? Wish I hadn’t come home? I never really knew how miserable I was until I met you?_ He was supposed to be _discouraging_ Bucky’s attachment.

Sooner or later, this thing with Bucky would end, and Tony would be re-bonded to someone else. Someone that his parents would approve of.

Tony had grown up with that knowledge, had been resigned to it.

He didn’t feel resigned, now, so much as... resentful.

He didn’t _want_ the fancy parties, the tight clothes that never let him breathe, the sumptuous food he wasn’t allowed to eat lest he put on a few ounces, the expensive gifts that were substitutions for affection rather than expressions of it.

He wanted to be back in Cambridge, elbow-deep in a robotics project or cursing at code that wasn’t quite right. He wanted arguments about stupid movies over pizza. Terrible coffee that he drank anyway because it was there. A strong arm wrapped over him and warm breath on the back of his neck lulling him to sleep at night.

He wanted _Bucky_.

***

“What the hell is this?” Howard slammed into Tony’s room.

Tony fumbled the circuit board he was working on and nearly dropped the soldering iron on the floor. He managed to catch it and drop it back into its cradle. “What the hell is what?”

Howard thrust his phone into Tony’s face. “ _This._ ”

Tony leaned back far enough to focus on the screen. “Is that my report card? When did that come in? I didn’t see the email.”

“Because they sent it to me,” Howard snapped. “As your sponsor. I want to know how the hell you justify spending my money and credibility for grades like this!”

Tony blinked at him, then looked back at the email. “Four As and a B isn’t good enough?”

“Have I _ever_ accepted anything less than perfection from you?” Howard demanded. “In what way is a B remotely _good enough?_ ”

“That’s Professor Jones’ class,” Tony protested. “He’s anti-omega. I’m not even exaggerating. It’s right there on his staff page. He literally doesn’t think omegas can learn anything more advanced than algebra.”

“Then it was your duty to make him understand otherwise! _You_ are not some random omega off the street; you are a _Stark_ , and I expect better!”

“He gave a quiz or test _every day_ that I was out for my heat and wouldn’t let me make them up afterward! Damn it, Dad, what the hell else was I supposed to do?”

Howard slapped Tony. He hated it when Tony talked back. “There will be no more of these failures,” he growled, “or this little experiment of yours is _over_. Do you understand me?”

Tony put his hand over his cheek, just starting to tingle and ache from the force of the blow. “I understand,” he gritted.

Howard stormed back out.

Tony listened until he could no longer hear Howard’s footsteps, then retreated to his bed, groping blindly for his phone.

_You there?_

For a long, painful minute, Tony wondered if Bucky had turned his phone off for the holiday so he could have fun. Tony imagined him clowning with Steve and Clint, maybe flirting with some omega at a club, or-- No, Bucky wouldn’t do that. Would he?

What if he’d finally accepted that their bonding was temporary, let go of his feelings for Tony? Would he feel obligated to be faithful?

Tony’s phone buzzed against his skin. _Hey doll! What’s up? You have a nice Xmas?_

 _Not particularly._ Tony’s heart hammered in his chest and tears pricked his eyes as his thumbs hovered over the screen. _I want to go home._

Almost immediately, Tony could see the little ... that meant Bucky was typing a response. He chewed on his lip as he waited.

_Then we’ll go home. You’re at your folks still, yeah? Pack up, I’m on my way._

This was definitely _not_ going to help Bucky come to terms with the fact that he’d have to let go of Tony in a few years.

Looking down at that response -- immediate, supportive, without a single question -- Tony had to admit that he wasn’t sure he _wanted_ Bucky to come to terms with it.

Tony grabbed his duffel bag and began to shove things into it without much care for neatness or organization. Every time he paused, he looked over at his phone and felt a bright, sparkling warmth spread through his chest.

_I’m on my way._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Professor Jones _miiiiiiiight_ be based on a professor that tisfan and I both had in college.


	4. Chapter 4

Bucky’s phone vibrated, and he scooped it up.

_Going to be late, having a study date in the library._

Bucky blinked, but before he could formulate a question, another text appeared.

_Rhodey thinks I should clarify that it’s not in any way actually a DATE. I told him you knew that already but he seems to think you’d rather be told._

Well, that was... true, actually. Bucky tried not to set any boundaries on Tony -- he _knew_ their relationship was barely more than a pretense -- but he couldn’t help but feel a little possessive, even if he’d managed to keep it on lock for most of the last couple of years.

He gnawed on his lip for a minute, weighing the questions he wanted to ask against his desire not to be a controlling knothead of an alpha, and finally settled on, _1) How late-ish? 2) Who’s Rhodey?_

A moment later, a photo popped up -- a grinning selfie of Tony with his arm thrown casually around the neck of a faintly amused alpha.

_My new best friend,_ the accompanying text read. _The only other guy in my Flight Dynamics class who can keep up with me!_

And then, _Not sure how late. Definitely before midnight; Rhodey gets up at 5. Don’t wait up._

Which meant Tony was _not_ getting home in time for dinner. Bucky looked over at the pasta sauce he’d been working on all afternoon, trying to replicate a dish Tony had gushed over a couple of weeks ago in a restaurant. He blew out his breath and told himself at least he’d be able to test it before he tried the recipe out on Tony, but it didn’t really help.

School was the most important thing for Tony, though. Bucky knew that. He swallowed down an ugly little spurt of resentment and made himself reply cheerfully. _Don’t have too much fun! Be safe._

***

Mornings were Bucky’s favorite time of day. He’d always been the kind of guy who rose with the sun, but now he woke up to Tony at his side, more often than not sprawled half over him like an octopus with an attachment disorder. Warm and sleep-tousled and relaxed and so, so very gorgeous. For half an hour every morning, Bucky got to pull Tony up against him and watch Tony’s face and shallow breathing and pretend, just for that little while, that he could have this forever.

And then he’d get up and start a pot of coffee before taking his shower, and by the time he was done, the smell of the coffee would have lured Tony out of bed, and they’d sit at the little apartment table together as they had their first cups. It was Bucky’s favorite way to wake up, _ever_.

When Tony’s phone started chirping insistently at 5:30 in the morning... that was _not_ a good way to wake up.

Tony groaned and smacked at it petulantly, but instead of crawling back under the covers and Bucky’s waiting arm, he sat up, rubbing a hand over his face and hair as if trying to figure out precisely how to pull himself together.

Bucky glanced at the still-dark window, and then put a hand on Tony’s back. “What’s up, doll? You got a paper or somethin’ to turn in before class?”

Tony shook his head, yawning. “Nah. Told Rhodey I’d have breakfast with him. Apparently the Student Center doughnuts are surprisingly fantastic and must be experienced to be believed.”

“Oh.” Bucky tried not to feel hurt. It was _good_ that Tony had made a friend. Even if it seemed like this Rhodey was somehow involved in nearly every conversation they had, lately. “This ain’t-- I mean. Is this going to be, like, a regular thing?”

Tony huffed. “I hope not. It’s _way_ too early to be awake.”

It would probably be bad form to sigh in relief. “Okay, well, bring a doughnut home for me?”

“Yeah, sure.” Tony pulled on his jeans and leaned over the bed to kiss Bucky quickly. “Might be late again tonight, though. We’re taking our design projects over to the wind tunnel to smoke test ‘em.”

“I’m gonna pretend like any of that made sense,” Bucky teased, even as he bit back an utterly irrational whine over how much of Tony’s time Rhodey was monopolizing.

“I’ll explain it to you later,” Tony promised. He pulled a tee over his head, flashed Bucky a grin, and was gone.

Bucky flopped back onto the bed and stared up at the ceiling.

***

Tony’s heat, at least, belonged only to Bucky. When Tony was spread out underneath him, panting for breath, eyes wide and dark with nearly insatiable need, it was Bucky at the focus of Tony’s attention, Bucky who licked and stroked and sucked and thrust until Tony was crying out with release.

Bucky who got to hear Tony’s pleading, worshipful, breathy, “Alpha!” as Bucky’s knot swelled inside him, as Bucky bit down on the bondmark on Tony’s neck.

Bucky who Tony clung to, in the moments between the waves of desperate desire, sweating and gasping and exhausted.

Bucky who half-carried Tony into the bathroom afterward, running a bath around him and tenderly washing every inch of his skin, and then tucked him back into the freshly-changed bed. Bucky who held him as they slept, deep and dreamless.

Tony kissed Bucky extra-sweetly the next day, when he returned to his classes. Bucky puffed up, alpha-smug, while there was no one else around to see it.

...And then Tony came home full of enthusiasm over Rhodey having taken notes for him while Tony had been absent, _and_ gone to the library and pulled three of the references that Tony was going to need for his next project, saving Tony hours of research time.

God _damn_ it. Bucky just couldn’t catch a break, it seemed.

***

Bucky was poking listlessly at his cereal when he suddenly found himself with a lap full of Tony. “Whoa!” He pushed the cereal bowl a little farther away and then wrapped his arm around Tony’s waist. “What’s up, babydoll?”

“I want to invite Rhodey over for dinner,” he said cheerfully.

Bucky froze for an instant, and with Tony balanced on his lap, he couldn’t hide the reaction.

Tony didn’t quite cringe, but his shoulders hunched a little. “I mean, we don’t have to, it was just a random... Probably a bad idea, yeah--”

“Wait, hold up, sweetheart, I didn’t say that,” Bucky protested. He kissed Tony’s shoulder. “You just... kinda caught me by surprise. I’m... I’d be happy to meet your friend.”

Tony squinted at him. “You don’t sound very happy about it.”

“I’m just, uh. Trying to figure out what to make.”

“Hm.” Tony nuzzled at Bucky’s ear. “Pasta carbonara?”

Bucky couldn’t help pouting. “That’s-- I make that for _you_.”

“Yeah, which is how I know it’s--” Tony leaned back, eyes narrowing. “James Barnes, are you _jealous?_ ”

Bucky ducked his head and tried not to blush. “I know, I’m sorry, it’s bullshit, I just--”

Tony kissed him. Thoroughly.

When he backed away, they were both panting a little. Bucky stared. “What?”

“I know,” Tony said. “It’s not really supposed to be a turn-on, the whole cave-alpha possessiveness thing. But it totally is.”

“It... it is?”

Tony held up his fingers, pinched about an inch apart. “Little bit. I mean, it’d probably get old fast if you started trying to _actually_ control me, but the fact that you’re _worried_ about Rhodey is _adorable_.”

“I’m not worried,” Bucky protested. “I trust you, really. I just... It’s... He’s all you talk about any more.”

“That’s because he is _awesome,_ ” Tony said, grinning. “As you will find out at dinner tonight.”

Bucky rolled his eyes. “Yeah, okay, fine.”

“Carbonara?” Tony asked hopefully.

Bucky huffed and nuzzled at Tony’s neck, just under his ear. “I guess. Since you’re askin’ so pretty.”

“You’re the best!” Tony said gleefully, and bestowed another searing kiss on Bucky’s mouth.

“Nnf. You keep that up, and you ain’t gettin’ to campus today at all,” Bucky mock-threatened, tightening his arm around Tony’s waist.

Tony just laughed and slid off his lap. “Hold that thought, then,” he said. “I’ll bring Rhodey home with me... sixish?”

Bucky nodded. “Don’t be late. That sauce doesn’t keep too well.”

“Okay,” Tony agreed, pulling his backpack over his shoulders. “Seriously!” he added, practically skipping toward the door. “The best!”

***

“You’re _sure_ this is on the up-and-up?” Rhodey asked again. “You’re not, like, bringing me home as a surprise or anything, are you?”

Tony made a face. “No, of course not.”

“Don’t you _of course_ me,” Rhodey said. “The last time you pulled that shit, we wound up--”

“--in a situation that will not be spoken of until we are both in our graves,” Tony interrupted urgently. “It’s fine, it’s cool, I told him I was going to invite you to dinner and he said he’d make carbonara.”

“Make, or order out?”

“ _Make,_ ” Tony stressed. “Well, I mean, he’s not making the pasta from scratch or anything, but the sauce...” He kissed his fingertips. “It’s to _die_ for, you’re going to love it.”

“Your alpha cooks,” Rhodey said. “Seriously? That’s... Not many alphas are willing to learn to cook.”

Tony snorted. “All the famous chefs are alphas,” he pointed out. “Bucky’s a good cook. And he learned to make carbonara ‘specially for me.”

“That’s sweet,” Rhodey said. “Which makes me wonder -- yet again -- just what you told him about me. ‘Cause I’ve got your back, man, but I am not looking to get into some kind of alpha challenge macho bullshit. That shit can get me kicked out of ROTC if it gets too bad.”

Tony rolled his eyes. “You’re not going to fight Bucky. Bucky is not going to fight you. There will be no bullshit alpha posturing.”

“Uh. He is cooking for dinner a dish he learned especially for you,” Rhodey pointed out. “He is _absolutely_ posturing.”

Tony couldn’t seem to help the pleased little grin the tugged at his lips. “He’s not-- Well, maybe a little. He’s a little bit jealous. Not in a bad way,” he added hurriedly, because he could _feel_ the side-eye Rhodey was giving him. “He’s just... There’s only a year and a half left.” Tony pushed down the lump in his throat.

“Yeah, this fake-married thing is seriously messed up rich people nonsense,” Rhodey opined.

“It’s not fake,” Tony said, glancing around as if the Dean of Omega Oversight might be listening in from behind a bush. “It’s real. It’s just... temporary.”

“Rich people nonsense,” Rhodey repeated. “Why don’t you just stay married to the guy? You seem to like him, and he seems to like you.”

Tony had to take a couple of slow breaths before he could answer that. It had been getting harder and harder, over the past year and change, not to acknowledge his own feelings. “Because he’s just a guy. My parents would never allow it. I’m supposed to bond with one of the other big business families, cement a merger, maybe. Or at the very least, one of the other rich families.” He considered it. “Maybe if Janet Van Dyne was an alpha--”

“I dunno what kind of Kool-Aid rich people drink,” Rhodey said, “but out here in the real world, your parents can’t really make you do anything you don’t want to do.”

Tony snorted.

“What? I’m serious. You’re an adult, you’re bonded and married, you just said it was all legal and stuff. What happens if you just... don’t split up?”

“Um, Bucky doesn’t get his prenup payout, and my dad disowns me,” Tony said in his best _duh_ tone. “And probably sues me for my tuition.”

“So?” Tony actually stopped walking to stare. Rhodey stopped too, turning to face him. “No, really, so what? Wait ‘til you graduate to tell him so he can’t keep you from getting your degree, sure, but -- I have _seen_ what you are capable of, man. Don’t tell me there aren’t already a hundred universities panting after you to join their doctoral programs. Or companies who want you to jump into their robotics lines.”

Tony made a face. “I’m an omega,” he pointed out. “So... not as many as you’d think.”

Rhodey waved one hand dismissively. “Their loss. If they can’t look past that, they’re not worth your time.”

“And once Dad makes it clear I’m _persona non grata_ , a bunch more offers will disappear, too. No one wants to be on SI’s shit list.”

“Except maybe SI’s competitors,” Rhodey pointed out. “Or even, hell, start your own business. You know the government has set-asides for small omega-owned business contracts, right? Or go into a different field completely. My point is, you’re going to graduate _suma cum laude_ from one of the top technical schools in the _world_ , and if all you think you’re good for is being part of some kind of, of _incentive package_ , then I don’t know what to tell you, man. I know the world isn’t fair for omegas, okay, but that doesn’t mean you need to take it lying down.”

They’d spent a lot of time studying together, working on projects, and talking about just about anything that leapt to mind, but Tony had never seen Rhodey rant like this, waving arms and wild eyes. “Rhodey--”

“And that holds true,” Rhodey continued, not letting Tony stop him, “even if you _don’t_ want to stay with this guy. You can divorce him and let him collect the payout and _still_ walk away from your dad afterward. You... you know that, right? No matter what rich-people bullshit nonsense your folks have been filling your head with, you know that once you’re an adult, you’re not obligated to do anything they tell you.”

Tony... He _had_ known that. In a sort of abstract, theoretical way. He tried to envision it. What would his life look like, if he just... walked away? If he let himself admit that he’d developed feelings for Bucky. If he let himself accept Bucky’s feelings for him?

They’d be dirt poor, for one thing; there was no way Howard would let that sort of defiance go unpunished, and while Tony thought he could trust Bucky to keep Howard from assaulting him physically, there wasn’t much either of them could do to keep Howard’s lawyers at bay.

But Rhodey wasn’t entirely wrong about Tony’s choices. He had, in fact, already been courted by several doctoral programs. And if he didn’t want to go to grad school, well, Dad had any number of rivals who might jump at the chance to embarrass Howard by taking Tony on, even if it meant they’d have to deploy their own legal teams to protect him. Some of them might even be worth working for.

PymTech, for one. Hank Pym _loathed_ Howard; that was a well-known, if unspoken, fact. And he was doing some _amazing_ things with nanotech. Tony made a mental note to add some nanoscale classes to his curriculum next semester.

Bucky... might still want to break their bond. Having feelings for Tony was one thing, but Tony had no idea if those feelings were strong enough to make Bucky willing to put himself into Howard’s crosshairs. And even if the thought made Tony’s heart feel squeezed, his lungs unable to expand, that was... that was fair. Howard was intimidating as hell, in a world where money and social status were far more powerful than physical courage and muscle. If Bucky wanted to stick to the original terms of the agreement, then Tony would just have to... to carry on without him.

It would hurt. But he could do it. The few times Tony had gone back to New York since he and Bucky had bonded had done more than enough to teach him that he didn’t want that world. Couldn’t live in it, not anymore.

“Yeah,” Tony said. He felt... dazed, really. As if he’d been sitting in the dark and someone had suddenly flooded him with sunlight. “Yeah, I... I know that.” He looked at Rhodey.

Rhodey was grinning wide enough to practically split his face. “Come on, then,” he said. “Introduce me to your man and let’s have dinner. And then I’ll get outta your hair, ‘cause it looks like maybe you and your guy have some talkin’ to do.”

***

Tony and Rhodey were a few minutes late. Not so much that dinner would be ruined, but enough that Bucky looked out the window to see if they were coming and spotted them coming down the block. As Bucky watched, Tony turned to walk backwards, looking at Rhodey as he said something -- Bucky couldn’t see Tony’s face, but the way his hands moved as he talked was familiar -- and Rhodey caught Tony around the neck and noogied him. One knot of nervous worry eased in Bucky’s chest. That wasn’t the way an alpha treated an omega they were trying to court or seduce. That was more like... siblings.

So Bucky was able to open the door when he heard their voices in the hall with a genuinely welcoming smile. He kissed Tony’s cheek and offered Rhodey his hand without any hesitation. “Hi, it’s good to meet you,” he said. “I’m Bucky.”

“My alpha,” Tony tacked on, unnecessarily. And strangely, because Tony hardly ever made a point of their relationship.

“Jim Rhodes,” Rhodey -- Jim -- said. “I’m glad to finally meet you. This one never shuts up about you.”

Tony squawked in protest, but Bucky just laughed. “I could say the same,” he admitted, and then offered an olive branch. “I’m glad Tony’s got someone looking out for him on campus.”

Tony sniffed. “I can look out for myself, thank you very much.”

“I know you can, doll,” Bucky said. “But every soldier needs someone watching their six.”

“We’re not soldiers,” Tony said. “We’re _students_.” He brushed past Bucky, heading for the kitchen. “This smells great, are-- Aw, you actually set the table and stuff like real people!”

Bucky fought down a blush. “You could’ve just let Jim think we were civilized, you know.”

“Honey. He’s seen me eat doughnuts.” Tony stretched up on his toes to kiss Bucky’s cheek.

“It’s like watching a rabid mongoose attack a snake,” Jim offered.

Bucky snorted. Tony’s manners weren’t actually that bad, but the indignant face he made was pretty cute. “Yeah, okay, wash up and take a seat,” Bucky said. “Dinner’s ready to go.”

Dinner went well, Bucky thought. Rhodey seemed to enjoy the food, and he and Tony kept up a running dialog, explaining some project they were working on together. They picked up each other’s sentences so seamlessly that it seemed like they practically shared a brain.

Perversely, that eased another knot of worry. Bucky and Steve were like this, sometimes, and while Bucky wouldn’t trade the closeness he had with Steve for anything, it made it hard to think of the guy as mate material.

Tony continued to be a little odd through the meal, watching Bucky sidelong and reaching over to touch Bucky’s knee or arm or shoulder more than usual. It was nice -- Bucky sure as hell wasn’t complaining -- but he didn’t want Tony to feel like he had to _appease_ Bucky’s little flares of jealousy.

Whatever it was, Jim didn’t seem to notice, and Tony seemed cheerful enough, so Bucky just rolled with it, asking questions about the project, and then about the ROTC program Jim was in. He teased Jim a little about being with the Air Force (branch rivalry was fun, and Bucky knew more airman jokes than Jim knew grunt ones, so Bucky won that bout), and then teased Tony about what had turned into weekly meet-ups with Jim for breakfast after Jim’s morning run (the Student Center doughnuts _were_ amazing, actually). That segued into a discussion of zombie movies -- Bucky hadn’t realized there _were_ so many, and Tony vowed they would have a marathon over spring break.

It was fun. Easy, almost as easy as hanging out with Steve and Clint. And it was nice to spend some time with someone other than Tony.

Bucky found himself wishing he could introduce Jim to his friends back in New York. Jim and Sam would get along great, he was sure, and though Jim’s sarcasm wasn’t quite as biting as Steve’s, he was pretty sure Steve would love Jim’s sly humor.

Of course, that was pointless, wasn’t it?

To cover his sudden drop in mood, Bucky stood up to clear the plates away. “I didn’t make dessert,” he called from the kitchen, piling the dishes in the sink, “but there’s a cupcake shop about a block down?”

He came back out of the kitchen to find that Jim was on his feet. “It sounds great,” Jim said, “but I’ve got a paper I need to finish. And I don’t want to intrude.”

“You’re not intruding,” Bucky said. “Really, it’s--”

“Nah, it’s good. Some other time, though.” Jim stuck out his hand and Bucky took it on autopilot. “Thanks for dinner.” He lightly kicked the back of Tony’s chair. “See you in class tomorrow. I wanna hear that you’ve got a plan, okay?”

“Yeah, yeah,” Tony sighed. “Go on, then. Abandon me.”

“It’s just what you deserve,” Jim said, though it sounded more fond than teasing or exasperated. He shot Bucky a little wave that was half-salute, and headed for the door.

“Huh,” Bucky said as it closed. “I thought we were having a good time.”

“We were,” Tony said. “He likes you, I can tell.”

“Then why...?” Bucky waved at the door.

“Because he kind of... laid out some facts for me, earlier, and he’s giving us a little space so we can, uh, go over it together.”

Tony wasn’t looking at him. Bucky groped for a chair and sank into it. “What... kind of facts?”

Tony chewed on his lip. “The kinds of facts that you’ve been trying to tell me for two and a half years, now, and I haven’t been listening.”

Bucky was mystified, but Tony’s body language was clear: he expected Bucky to be mad at him, or at least upset. Bucky reached out, then thought better of it and turned his hand over, palm up, offering. “You’re gonna have to break it down for me a little more than that,” he admitted.

Tony took Bucky’s hand without hesitation, and that was a _huge_ relief. Bucky sighed and slumped back into his chair a little, but couldn’t take his eyes off Tony, even if Tony still wasn’t looking at him. Tony didn't say anything else for a long minute, and then started, slowly, “That this whole... arranged, temporary marriage thing is... is _stupid_. I ought to be able to choose who I’m bonded to. And so should you.”

Panicking skittered across Bucky’s mind like a drop of water on hot metal. Was Tony choosing Jim over him, after all?

Tony was still talking, but Bucky lost the first part of it to the rush of blood in his ears, and then it took another few seconds for the words to actually sink in, and-- “Wait, wait, back up. I don’t think I heard that right. Say that again, babydoll.”

Tony looked up, finally, his eyes wide and luminous and wet. “I... I said if you want to stay married, and _I_ want to stay married, then we should just--”

“You... you want to stay with me?” There was something in Bucky’s throat, and he had to swallow around it.

Tony flushed and he looked down again, where his thumb was dragging back and forth over Bucky’s knuckles.. “Yeah. I’ve been trying to pretend I didn’t, because I couldn’t see any other path, but...” He hesitated, lip caught between his teeth. “It’s... I’ll be okay,” he said in a rush, “if you change your mind. Dad is going to be _pissed_ ; he’ll make it as hard on us as he can, and you shouldn’t have to--”

“Shh, hey, sweetheart, no,” Bucky said. He tugged his hand free so he could cup Tony’s cheek, lift Tony’s chin so he could see those pretty eyes. “I love you.” Finally saying it out loud felt like taking the first deep breath after a fresh spring rain. “I’ve loved you for two years, now. Only way I’m leaving you is if you _want_ me to.”

Those wide eyes flicked minutely, searching Bucky’s eyes. “I’m sorry,” he said roughly. “I... I love you, too, and I’m sorry I didn’t realize, that it took me so long.”

“It’s all right, babydoll,” Bucky promised. “C’mere.” He tugged Tony closer, to sit on his lap, and tucked his nose against the bondmark on Tony’s neck, feeling like he could fly, could conquer the whole world. Tony loved him, too! “It’s okay. We got there in the end. Everything’s gonna be okay. Long as I got you, everything is _perfect_.”

 


End file.
